Rediscovered
by kitkat61397
Summary: Wendy and her family are going through a rough time six years after her return from Neverland. Peter too had been keeping tabs on her and he decides that he must help Wendy find herself again, even if he must bring her back to where it all began. Based on the 2003 movie with Jeremy Sumpter.
1. Chapter 1

The nightlights had stopped being lit, for they were to guard the children a parent has left behind, and the Darling children weren't quite children anymore. They had grown out of the nightlights and the tucking in of the blankets. Their mother now only wishes them a goodnight before putting herself to bed as well.

Michael, the youngest, was now at the age of twelve. He had grown out of his teddy bear, but not enough to throw it out. It still sits at his bedside table as a reminder of their once incredible journey to another world. One of which, he could only think possible as a very vivid dream. He is still a lively boy but now allows to be given his baths.

John, now age fourteen, has grown in height so much so he is almost his father's height. He has good grades and pays attention in his schooling. He tends to be too busy for the act of the still childish antics of his siblings because he himself had realized that growing up is a part of living and as much as you try to escape it, it catches up to you.

Wendy, the eldest, now eighteen. Six years have gone by since she had made her presence known in Neverland and then returned. A couple years prior, when she had been removed from the nursery and had then to be made a woman, she had subconsciously refused. She wouldn't listen to her Aunt when she gave her lessons, though notes were taken to be put in to use when she did decide to leave her childhood behind.

Now that she was of legal age, she would never return home and when she did, she would be intoxicated. Mrs. Darling would worry herself sick all night as Mr. Darling busied himself with his work to ignore the problem that arrised leaving his wife alone with the mess. Michael had started to lock himself in his room with his brother, ignoring the fighting that would arise when the topic of Wendy would come up between his parents. John had became repeatedly annoyed whenever his sister would return home because she was the reason their home life became so complicated.

All in all, six years since they returned home, things have gone to hell. Aging changes people and sometimes, they lose all sense of their childhood. Acting childish isn't the same as having youthful mind. Creativity is much different than acting in such a way to make one seem small.

As for the famous Peter Pan, Michael barely remembers him. He clings to the memories of him and neverland with the Teddy Bear laying on his bedside table. It felt so much like a dream now that he tends to believe it was. John doesn't remember at all and Michael knows better than to bring it up to him. Wendy remembers everything from the adventures to the tears on the boys face when she first met him and sewed his shadow back on.

It seems as though, much like when they were in Neverland and forgot about the real world, the longer they stayed in the real world the more they forgot about the magical place they once ventured. As for Wendy remembering everything and her siblings not, it might be because of something Peter once explained to her. Girls were much too smart to fall out of their prams and become lost. Therefore she was never lost and she never could forget about one nor the other.

But if she was never lost why did she feel so lost after she returned back to the Nursery. She loved being with her family again but nothing ever felt right about it. She brought home everyone who wanted to be home but she never really questioned if she ever wanted to truly return, and maybe that's why she became what she is now. A lost person looking to be found and understood, but no one ever took the time to.

John turned her down every time she wanted to bring up their adventures and it hurt her that he did not remember. Even the memory of Tiger Lily was absent from his mind. Michael would listen to her with awed eyes like he remembered but it was almost a dream. His memories weaning like his childhood. She was practically alone with these memories of an adventure she may as well have made up.

She was stuck in a loop and to get rid of the feeling of being lost she drowned it in alcohol and the lips of other boys. Staying out all night and tripping on her own feet.

Now the actions she was portraying didn't only hurt her and her family but an unexpected admirer that has been checking up on her over the years. He would come to visit in the night and watch her sleep but then she changed rooms and he had to figure out a new window to look into. Then she started to go out with other guys which, drove him insane. And now, he would hide himself in a tree and just watch as she would stumble into the park at night, laughing loudly to herself. She would find a bench and sit down. She would bring her legs up to her chest and sob. They were practically silent but he saw the way her body heaved as she cried.

Now, the boy was too caught up with watching Wendy grow up that he had forgotten he could do the same while visiting and he was practically never in Neverland anymore, at least that's what it felt like. Time is different in the two worlds.

When he would return back to Neverland and visit the new Lost Boys, he would gradually start to see them get shorter compared to him. He was changing but he didn't care quite as much as he thought he would because his mind was too preoccupied with her.

He awaited the usual spot she would arrive at during the night. He waited for her to stumble into the park and he would wait for her to sit down by herself but he did know he needed to do something because he couldn't just sit on the sidelines anymore. It was hurting him.


	2. Chapter 2

And so he waited.

Wendy showed up on schedule. She stumbled into the park and found herself sitting on the bench. She started to cry and sob and her body would shake as she did it all in silence. He watched within the shadows of the tree until she had sobbed herself to sleep.

He found himself in front of her sleeping body. It was a sad sight to see. He remembered that she had always had a light in her eyes and a smile on her face. Even when they said goodbye, she still smiled. He promised that he wouldn't forget, and he didn't.

It all proved too much for him and he walked over to the tree he once sat in and sat at the base of it. He brought his legs, now longer than they were before, up to his chest and felt tears well up in his eyes. She was destroying herself.

He cried in silence just as she did earlier before. He didn't know how long he had been there, just crying. He just couldn't stand the sight of it any longer. He had been so distracted by his own tears he didn't hear the girl wake up and make her way over to where he sat.

"Boy, why are you crying?" She asked him. He got frightened and shot up and hit his head off of the tree branch before realizing that he was flying and landed back on the ground. He wiped his eyes quickly, for a lady seeing him in such a state would be demeaning.

When he looked at her though, he saw that she had a small smile on her face. She crossed her arms against her chest, trying to keep herself warm in the cooling night. She looked utterly defeated but this was the first time in a long time he seen some happiness on her face.

"I wasn't crying." He said in defense. Her small smile stayed only in the corner of her mouth, where the hidden kiss once lied.

"Mmm, you look like a boy I once knew. Actually, you defy physics like a boy I once knew. But you are much taller than that boy and your voice is much less childish." She explained, her eyes taking the chance to take in everything of the boy in front of her.

For the first time, he actually considered the amount of time he had spent out of Neverland. His body must have been making up for the time he spent on the island. He noticed he was slightly taller than the girl in front of him. He noticed a slight change but he didn't think it was that noticeable.

She took a couple more steps towards him, "You didn't forget Peter..." she said in almost a whisper.

"Me... forget?" He asked her just as quietly, "...Never."

Peter sat down, rubbing the back of his head. The throbbing from hitting it on the branch of the tree was starting to subside. Wendy plopped down next to him and leaned against the tree with him.

She looked over at him because in the first time in forever, she felt sane. She wasn't being told that she was imagining things or that she needed to grow up and become the woman she was supposed to be. She wasn't being told that she was a waste of space.

"Did you... did you get new lost boys?" She asked, breaking the silence between the two teens. He of course had to be a bit younger than she, but he also didn't seem too much younger.

"Yeah, they're great." He said. "You know, I kept coming back to hear your stories but you stopped telling them."

"Yeah, I guess it's a part of growing up," She said shrugging, "though it seems that I haven't done much of that. Just earlier tonight, John yelled at me about how everything would be better if I just left because I'm the reason for mum and dad fighting. They would have been happy if I left for that school but I wouldn't have been. I guess it is my fault and they would be happier if I'd just leave. If only I could visit again..."

"You could." He said, looking at Wendy.

"But I can't. I forgotten how to fly and even if I could remember how to, I don't have a happy thought to spare right now." Wendy explained to him. He rolled his eyes in the childish way which contradicted his more manly features. She wondered how much time he had been spending in the real world.

"Wendy, come with me. You can get away from here." He said and Wendy couldn't help smile at the excitement on his face. She couldn't deny that this was the first time she smiled in a while.

"Do you think that I still can?" She asked.

"Tink!"

With the sound of her name, a ball of light came fluttering down from the tree. Peter grabbed her and just like the first time, he sprinkled her with fairy dust. Wendy didn't fly like she automatically did the first time.

"Peter, I don't think it's working." She explained to him. Maybe she had grown up too much to fly. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up off the ground. Tinkerbell landed on his shoulder and gave him an annoyed look which didn't bother Wendy like it used to.

"Think about the time you had in Neverland. Remember the sword fighting, pirates, princess tigerlily..." He said to her and that's what she did.

She thought long and hard about her old adventures. She remembered the clouds that look like cotton candy and the sky that was filled with stars. She remembered the fighting and the dancing. That's when one memory stood out to her, where she felt happiest. When her and Peter had danced like the fairies.

"Wendy, you're doing it." He said floating up with her. "Are you ready?"

She thought about what happened with her family before this moment right then. Maybe they would be happier with her gone and flying away with him yet again sounded so beautiful. She gave him half hearted smile and he smiled.

"Come on then, you know the way." Peter said.


	3. Chapter 3

Feet touched the ground of the jungle. She felt the ground physically warm by every second. She, herself, had never seen the magical place in winter but she had been told by the Lost Boys that every time that Peter left Neverland it turned bitter and cold.

It looked as though she had never left the place. Everything looked the same, but it didn't. It was vibrant in color. Peter took her hand and pulled her along as he maneuvered his way through the jungle. Before she knew it, she found herself in front of the hideaway they stayed in the last time.

They entered the underground hideaway, which was rougher than she remembered, and finally got back on her feet. She heard yelling all throughout the place and watched as a bunch of children emerged from their cubbies.

"We knew you had returned!" Shouted one of the boys who seemed half Peter's height.

"And who are you?" Asked another, walking up to Wendy. She cocked her head to the side wondering how could he be so outspoken.

"Boys, this is Wendy." Peter explained to the five boys who were just looking at her.

"The one who helped you kill ol' Hook?" Yet another asked.

"The one and only." Peter responded. The other boys erupted into whispers. Peter rolled his eyes in a childlike manner and grabbed her hand yet again, to show her where she would be sleeping.

Everything seemed the same but the atmosphere of the island seemed different. It seemed, less alive. Wendy couldn't pinpoint the reason why it felt that way but it did. But there was something in the way Peter's eyes sparkled as he explained the simplest things around the hideaway that made Wendy forget the weird feeling she had gotten from the island.

"So what do you want to do?" He asked, floating up into a crossed leg position.

Wendy had not one clue what she would want to do. She knew she had wanted to come back and get away from all the bad in the world. Now that she was here and seeing the sites again, she didn't know what to do. He was so full of energy and she wasn't.

She shrugged at him, "Peter, I don't know what is even possible to do. It's been ages since I've been here." Wendy explained. Peter sat in thought for a couple minutes before getting out of his sitting position and setting his feet back on the ground.

"You look tired. Maybe you should sleep." Peter said, lightly shocking Wendy. The Peter she remembered would have driven her to the ground with activity after activity.

He gave her a small smile before walking out of what was presumably her bedroom and leaving her be. She sat down and got comfortable, for that was Peter's request of her. Now that the excitement from seeing him and traveling back to Neverland had subsided, she felt how exhausted she had really become. Not to mention the slight headache that had began to form.

In the distance, she could hear Peter telling the new Lost Boys to leave her alone because she has had a long journey. Wendy couldn't help but smile at the thought of it. She was still excited that he remembered. Forgetting was Peter's specialty.

With her being back, she started to remember more of her past journeys. She remembered that he had actually forgotten about her brothers once. At the time, she was just worried about them but then she realized that he forgets a lot of things. It has always been the was he was.

Though the new Lost Boys listened to Peter and left her alone, they did not provide her the quiet she needed to sleep. Instead, she laid there, listening to them and their stories of their adventures. After a while, she got up and made her way out of the room. She was welcomed by the Lost Boys when she walked into the next room.

"Oh she's awake." One of the boys said. Wendy smiled a little at them.

"Where's Peter?" She asked. They shrugged.

"He went out. Not sure where he was going but I don't think he went too far." Another answered.

Wendy made her way out of the hideaway and walked around a little. She then heard rustling of leaves and she suddenly felt alert. She walked towards the sound to see Peter leaning up against a tree. He looked tired. Wendy walked towards him, going to go talk to him.

"You know, being alone with your thoughts is a horrible thing." Wendy said, pausing before continuing, "I would know."

His head shot up to see her walking towards him. His alertness diminished when he realized that it was Wendy and no one else. He sighed. She looked at him, worried. He wasn't acting like the carefree Peter she once knew. He seemed burdened and worried.

"I'm fine, but shouldn't you be asleep?" He responded. Wendy shrugged and sat down next to him at the base of the tree.

"I couldn't get any." She replied. Peter smiled at her a little bit.

"You know, I was thinking about that night after the Black Castle. We danced. I'm sorry for reacting the way I did." He said. Wendy felt her heart beat faster. She didn't know which part he was sorry for but any of them would have made her react that way. For at the age she was when she first arrived, she had somehow allowed herself to fall for the boy who could not love.

"Peter, are you sure you are okay?" Wendy asked him. He gave her a smile.

"Better than okay." He said, but he didn't seem as happy as he usually was. It worried Wendy because he was usually this bundle of joy, but he seemed different. Even though she didn't believe him one bit, she let it go.

Wendy sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "Okay, I believe you."


End file.
